Podcast: Art & Processes

EP15: “The garment of the present is always stitched by cloths and threads from a variety of elsewheres” – Nkata with John Akomfrah

In this thought-provoking episode, host Emeka Okereke sits down with the visionary Ghanaian-born British artist and filmmaker John Akomfrah. Akomfrah is renowned for his groundbreaking contributions to contemporary art and film, where his work poignantly explores themes of memory, post-colonialism, and the lived experiences of migrant diasporas across the globe. The conversation delves into Akomfrah’s…

Read More

EP14: “Move one foot in front of the other, and you will find your road”. Nkata with Jide Adeniyi-Jones

Jide Adeniyi-Jones (b. Lagos, 1952) is a Nigerian documentary photographer based in Lagos and Washington, DC. He credits the English photographer John Vickers for paving his way into photography in 1972. Since then, he has worked across various sectors of the discipline, including advertising, private media, civic service, and contemporary art. Having been a photographer…

Read More

Ep13: “When I use the term Afropolitanism, it refers to the “becoming planetary” of our predicament.” Nkata with Achille Mbembe.

In this conversation, moderated by host Emeka Okereke, the Cameroonian philosopher takes the listener on a journey across some personal experiences, thoughts, events and projections that animated his work and life.

Read More

EP12: “We are workers of the Spirit”. Nkata with Koyo Kouoh

Koyo Kouoh (b. 1967) is a Cameroonian-born curator. She is a leading figure in the Contemporary art world. More specifically, she is one of the pioneers who helped shape and articulate contemporary art practices from the African continent and beyond. In this conversation with host Emeka Okereke, Koyo leaves nuggets of wisdom. Her words are a beacon, just as they are a backbone for those interested in the wealth of hindsight.

Read More

EP11: “We were brought up to strive for Eloquence”. Nkata with Olu Oguibe

Olu Oguibe (b.1964) is a Nigerian-born American artist and academic. His work constitutes a pillar of what we now know as Contemporary African art and post-colonial studies. In conversation with Emeka Okereke, Oguibe relives childhood memories while weaving a rich and expansive tapestry of his artistic trajectory.

Read More

EP10: We are trying to remember the future and rewrite the past. Nkata with Qudus Onikeku

In episode 10 of Nkata: Art & Processes, Emeka Okereke is in Conversation with Qudus Onikeku (b. 1984, Lagos), a Nigerian contemporary dancer, performer and Choreographer. He has been active and consistently prolific since 2004, so much that one cannot knowledgeably talk about the practice and evolution of contemporary dance in the 21st century without…

Read More

EP09: “Water will always find its crack”. Nkata with Ahmet Öğüt

Ahmet Öğüt (b.1981, Diyarbakir, Turkey) is a conceptual artist living and working in Amsterdam, Netherlands. He works with a broad range of media including video, photography, installation, drawing and printed media (Wikipedia) In the 9th Episode of Nkata: Art & Processes, Emeka Okereke and Öğüt discuss the concepts and thought processes behind his work. Ogut…

Read More

EP08: “If I write for them, it means I am removing myself from my source”. Nkata with Niq Mhlongo

Niq Mhlongo (b. 1973, Soweto) is a South African writer born in Johannesburg. Today, he is considered “one of the most high-spirited, irreverent voices of post-apartheid South African literary scene”. So far, he has seven books to his name including Dog Eat Dog, Soweto Under The Apricot Tree, Black Tax and, still fresh from the…

Read More

EP07: “Our subalterns have not sold out; our youngsters have not sold out”. Nkata with Shahidul Alam

Shahidul Alam (b.1955) is a Bangladeshi photojournalist, teacher and social activist. He has been a photographer for more than 40 years. His life and work can invariably be summarised as a service to society, culture and humanity. While in Dhaka in February 2020, Emeka Okereke visited Alam at his home – same apartment from which he was arrested and thrown in jail in 2018. This episode is the result of their extensive conversation about his life and work – his childhood, parents, family and dedication to social justice in Bangladesh.

Read More

EP06: “My father always told me that only Love is above the law” Nkata with Uche James Iroha

One cannot exhaustively and informatively review the history of contemporary Nigerian photography without frequently returning to the name Uche James Iroha (B.1972, Enugu). Since 1999, Uche’s ideology, activities and support for younger photographers, have paved the way for the flourishing of Nigerian photography in no small measure. Yet the temperament, attitude and principles he brought…

Read More